Welcome to the web-site of Len A.Hynds

THE SPEECHLESS POET

Dear visitor please allow me to explain the reason for this web site. I had become disabled in 1994, at the age of 64,
having my Aortic Heart Valve replaced with a metallic one, at Guys hospital in London, where they also
carried out a by-pass, and fitted a pacemaker, I continued running my own business of supplying the car
trade with replacement parts for a further ten years, until in 2004 I developed cancer of the throat.

During those intervening ten years, I had several operations to various parts, and slowly but surely bits
were replaced, until I could tell people jokingly, that there was very little left of the original me.

After three cancer operations, the cancer was removed, but also alas were my vocal cords, leaving me to a life of silence

During the whole of this difficult time, the National Health Service with all those doctors, nurses and technicians
looking after me, the expertise and their unfailing kindness was magnificent.

So I could only communicate by writing, and went to college to enhance that writing. I was encouraged to go on to
university, a daunting prospect as I had left school at the age of 12, but I did so, and at the age of 77 graduated in
Creative Writing, Writing For Stage And Screen and Poetry. I then had further operations, and a valve inserted into my Trachea,
and I was able to make sound again. I soon learnt to convert that into human speech, however robotic. So a new life and career opened up for me,

So this web site has a dual function, for people that have survived throat cancer, and for those that it has just been diagnosed, to
demonstrate that cancer is not the end of the world. It can be overcome.

So I want to give something back, and what better way, than to give practical help and encouragement to my fellow and potential
Laryngectomees. Through my writings I have already raised enough to purchase three electro-larynx machines, for those people where
a valve could not be fitted. These are the poor unfortunates who would never speak again, without some form of artificial aid.

In many countries, no help is given by governments at all, and many who survive cancer of the throat, are sentenced to a life of silence.
In other countries only the very basic help is given, and in others it is up to the individual to take out insurance to obtain aids in order
for them to make sound and speech once again.